Chances
by Shadowmage97
Summary: Petunia rolled out of bed with loud thump, landing on carpeted flooring. What in the-? She hadn't fallen out of her bed since she was a kid. And why wasn't she in a hospital? The door to the room swung open loudly and Petunia froze looking in horror at the small, red-headed figure standing in the doorway. "Come on Tuney! Mum said we could go to the park after breakfast!"
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"_My life has a superb cast but I can't figure out the plot."_

* * *

Petunia Dursley née Evans is 45 years old and she is dying.

Petunia Dursley is 45 years old and she wonders how she even ended up in this particular situation to begin with.

Dying alone, her husband off with another woman (_And what woman would want him?_ a voice in the back of her mind whispers), a son who is most likely in jail again.

She is pathetic she realizes._ Pathetic, stupid, useless._ How could she have let herself go like this?

Petunia remembers a little blond girl who had ambitions, plans. A little girl who wanted to be a doctor, an explorer, an archeologist.

She lets out a dry laugh, alarming a passing by nurse. Doctor? Explorer? Hah!

She'd ended up as a gossiping housewife whose only desire was to stay at home and nitpick at other people and a husband who made obvious her faults and flaws.

Of course Vernon wasn't always like that. She _did _have good taste no matter what her current situation indicated.

No, Vernon had once been a gentlemen. Too polite, she recalled. Much too polite.

She should have been wary then but Lily had always been the pretty one. Lily was the one who people liked.

Oh, Petunia had a way with words. She could manipulate a crowd with a few honeyed words here and there. A well-placed comment had people warming up to her instantly. A born politician her father had called her.

Petunia could shine like a star when she wanted to. But Lily glowed like a sun in the a dark, shadowed world.

When Lily entered a room, Petunia was forgotten. Lily who never had to try hard to succeed. Lily who had mother''s perfect face and hair. Lily who people loved.

So when rich, well-off Vernon took notice of her. _Her_ of all people! she'd been thrilled.

And when she'd brought him home and he'd met her entire family and he hadn't even _looked _Lily's way, 19 year old Petunia knew he was the one.

They'd married despite her parents protests. '_You're too young, Petunia!' 'At least wait a few years!' _

Despite Lily's concerns._ 'Are you sure, Petunia? You're a little young, you know.'_

Hmph. As if she could judge. Getting married to that Potter boy so soon after her.

No, Petunia had decided and that was that.

Vernon wasn't a violent man.

In all the years of their marriage he'd never once raised a hand against her even when intoxicated but violent could mean many things other than physical abuse.

No, Vernon wasn't violent but he _was_ controlling.

It started with little things. He didn't like how she looked and she'd go change not wanting a fight so early in their marriage.

He didn't like the way she cut her hair. She grew it out long.

He didn't like how when they ate out she'd order dessert._ 'Petunia, darling. Perhaps you shouldn't overindulge.' _

She began to diet. He wanted her to stop going to University. She dropped her classes despite the protests of her professors and parents.

Before long they fell into a habit, a bad habit so deeply ingrained she didn't even notice.

She remembered the one time she disagreed with him. She had been pregnant with Dudley and had wanted to paint the nursery yellow. Vernon had wanted blue.

The rage on his face when she'd gone ahead and painted it yellow the next day was so disconcerting that she had actually taken a step back.

_'Ve- Vernon? It's just a color...' _ He'd looked at her with such angry eyes then_.'If you like, I'll change it-' 'You stupid woman! I said blue!' _Petunia's eyes had widened as Vernon began to rant and rave, gesticulated wildly, spittle flying as his face began to turn red.

Petunia supposed she should have left him then but by that time she'd become so dependent on him. Where would she have gone? She had no job. Her sister was out of the question and she could just imagine the I-told-you look her mother would have given her. Being pregnant didn't help matters at all.

She stayed and she fell even further.

* * *

_So... A Petunia time-travel fic. _

_This idea has been going around in my head for a while and I finally managed to get it somewhat written out._

_Petunia as a character is odd because she's often portrayed as an evil bitch or a bit OOC. Most the time its evil Petunia, which I don't agree with. _

_She's really a character that could be fleshed out more. I mean people see her as the evil bitch who distanced herself from her sister for ridiculous reasons. But really if my little sister had turned out to be magic and had access to a magical and wondrous world that I didn't, I'd be really jealous and bitter. I don't think I 'd abandon my sister but you can see where Petunia is coming from._

_Anyway I'm talking too much now so..._

_Read and Review!_

_Thanks!_

_ShaSha_


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_"I want either less corruption, or more chance to participate in it."_

* * *

The nurses say a black-haired boy who called himself Harry Potter came to visit her when she had been sleeping.

Harry, whom she had treated so callously. Harry, who had every right to be happy that she was dying, had come and left flowers when her own husband and son could not even be bothered.

Petunia cries.

Petunia cries because she knows she doesn't deserve to be visited, That she deserves to die alone and miserable but still he visits.

She doesn't think that she's ever regretted anything more than she regretted the day Harry Potter appeared on her doorstep.

No, she didn't regret the boy himself but she thinks that maybe if she hadn't married Vernon things might have turned out differently.

She isn't abusive but combined with her fear of Vernon and the fact that she just doesn't _like _anyone who reminds her of Lily, Harry grew up in a less than ideal environment.

Maybe.. maybe if she hadn't married Vernon she would have eventually gotten used to Harry. Maybe she would have even considered him her own son.

But she did and she _and_ Harry paid for it.

Contrary to popular belief she wasn't heartless. Harry did remind her of Lily but he was still a child.

Sure, she didn't like him but she would have made sure he was well-fed and taken care of. If she hadn't married Vernon.

Petunia remembers when Vernon had insisted in putting Harry in the cupboard. She remembers taking a deep breathe, gathering the little courage she had and timidly suggesting that they put him in the small second bedroom that no one used. She remembers what happened next and she remembers grabbing Dudley and running to her bedroom.

She never contradicted Vernon again.

Sometimes she still has nightmares of Vernon.

He lurks in the dark corners of her mind, tearing away her self esteem._ 'Stupid, useless, ugly, plain.' 'Who'd want you?' No one.' _

She wishes with all her heart she never married him. Sometimes she can imagine her life if she hadn't.

Harry would have been raised along with Dudley, Dudley wouldn't have turned out an obese, fat bully, and she knows she'd much happier. Maybe she would have gone back to school. Finished Law school.

She wishes she could have a second chance.

But it's too late. And you know what? It's OK.

Harry forgives her. And she hopes Lily will too.

Petunia Dursley née Evans is 45 years old and she dies with a small smile on her face.

* * *

What most people, magical and non-magical alike, don't realize is that _everyone_ has a magical core.

Those miracles you hear? A man falling from the top of a skyscraper and miraculously surviving without major injuries? It was his magical core reacting and protecting him. People disappearing and surviving for days without food and water? Their magical core sustained their life-force.

It merely depends on _how much _of your core is active. Magic is hereditary in the way that if both parents have active magical cores the child is more likely to have an active core. Muggleborn children are the result of parents whose cores are only partially activated.

Petunia Dursley, herself had a partially activated core. Inaccessible but still there and still potent.

And with that one wish she made, the little magic she had granted it as she died.

* * *

_Remember to review!_

_Thanks,_

_ShaSha_


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"_I just watched my dog chase it's tail for five minutes and thought 'Dogs are easily entertained' then I realized I just spent five minutes watching my dog chase its tail."_

* * *

Opening her eyes to the bright lights that woke her up, Petunia stretched languorously forgetting for a moment that she was in her hospital bed with IV's embedded in her arm.

As soon as this realization set in however, she paused immediately.

Then frowned. She felt much better than she usually did. Her illness usually left her tired, both physically and mentally. Now, for some reason she felt amazingly refreshed and energetic, even more than she had when she was well.

She rolled on to her side to check the clock placed on the bare wall of the hospital room, only to fall off the bed with a loud thump on carpeted flooring.

What in the-? She hadn't fallen off a bed since she was a child. And why wasn't she in the hospital? Had she somehow been cured and the hospital had discharged her? This theory, while odd, was the only one that made sense. Why else would she be in what looked to be a bedroom? An oddly familiar bedroom at that.

The woman frowned as she stood up. She felt odd. As if she didn't belong in her body anymore. What exactly was going on here?

Before she could examine herself carefully the door to the room swung open loudly.

Petunia froze in complete and utter horror at the small figure that stood in the doorway.

"Come on Tuney! Mum said we could go to the park after breakfast! "

For the first time in her 45 years of life Petunia Dursley, who prided herself in being practical and not at all like those whimsical, flighty, dainty girls, fainted.

* * *

When she next woke up, she kept her eyes firmly closed and told herself that everything she had seen earlier was a dream. _Nothing but a dream from the medications._

Alas, this was not to be. "Tuuuney! Tuuuuney! Wake up."

Petunia kept her eyes closed._This is bad dream. This is nothing but a really bad dream. And if I remember it, I'm going to request a change in medication._

She didn't move when this... this dreamLily poked her. She didn't dare breath when dreamLily leaned over her.

DreamLily soon left to her relief. But unfortunately instead of leaving her alone she did something worse.

"Mum! Dad! There's something wrong with Petunia! She fell down and she's not getting up!"

At the sound of a flurry of footsteps running towards her general area, Petunia jumped up, with surprising agility considering her age, and ran out of the room.

Pushing past a surprised miniature-Lily, Petunia ran into an open bathroom and promptly locked the door.

What was going on?! What kind of dream was this? It was too realistic, too _real_.

Turning away from the door, Petunia made the horrible, _horrible_ mistake of looking in the mirror.

She was _young_. God, she looked like she did when she was ten!

Ignoring the pounding of the door and the pleas from her parents_ (Her parents!) _Petunia reached up a hand too hesitantly poke her cheek.

It was... it was real. _What in the bloody hell? _The blonde woman, girl actually, didn't even care that she was cursing. The situation she was in overrode that particular rule.

She... she was somehow back in time. But how? It seemed too realistic to be a dream and really the only reason she wasn't in a state of complete denial was because of her exposure to the magical world as a child.

Having a professor from a magical school turn your stuffed animal into a real animal could really put a spin on one's perspective.

"Petunia? Petunia, love. Please open the door."

Petunia pushed back her tears. _Dad_. She had missed her father. He had died too early and still young. And his death had been the finally rift between her Lily since it was caused magical terrorists.

"Petunia?"

"I-" She cleared her throat nosily "I'm fine, daddy. I just had a bad dream."

"A bad dream that made you faint?" Harold Evans had always been a perceptive man, Petunia thought ruefully.

"No, I got up and I felt really dizzy and I fell."

Pushing open the door, she looked up at the much younger and much less weary man in front of her.

Petunia thought she did a good job containing her surprise when her father lifted her up and she only struggled slightly.

"Your all good?" She nodded.

"Ok, come on then, your mum made delicious pancakes."

Petunia was then carried downstairs and into the kitchen where Lily (_Dear Lord, Lily!) _and her mum where already sitting.

"Are you Ok, honey?" Her mum paused her cooking to walk over hug her.

"Yeah, it was just a bad dream." Iris Evans exchanged a glance with her husband who shrugged his broad shoulders.

Petunia couldn't help feel a bit irritated at the condescension of their simple act before she reminded her self that as she was 10 years old to the rest of the world her parents had a right to act like this.

Mum gently kneeled down, making herself eye-level with Petunia. "Are you sure, sweetheart?"

"Yes, mum." Petunia made sure to add a bit of a childish whine so they'd back off a bit.

"Ok, dear. Sit down and eat your breakfast."

Sitting next to a waving Lily, Petunia tried to take in the absolutely surreal scene she was now in. She had somehow gone back in time but how? Lily was the magical one not Petunia.

Lily leaned over, waving her spoon excitedly as she spoke. "Tuney are you OK? You really scared me! Are we still going to the park?"

Petunia blinked. She'd forgotten how excitable Lily was at this particular age. "I'm fine. Sorry I scared you, Lils. And yes we're still going to the park. "

Now if only she could remember _which_ park they'd gone to when they were younger. There where quite a number of them in Cokesworth.

With a cheer, Lily went back to eating her food quickly, ignoring a 'slow down' from their mother.

Seeing her sister alive and happy and with no bitterness and jealousy weighing down the friendship was amazing. Petunia didn't know what had given her this second chance but she was going to make it worthwhile. She'd-

Wait. Wait. Second _chance! _Hadn't she wished for a second chance when she had been in the hospital? That had been one of her last thoughts before she'd gone to sleep. Her wish had obviously been granted. And it seemed magic was somehow involved.

But how?

* * *

_Well, I got this written out even through all the finals being thrown out at me! I'm pretty proud._

_Review please!_

_Thanks,_

_ShaSha_


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I've put a poll up for those of you lovely people who are reading this particular story. Do you think Petunia should be a witch? I have two different ways this story can go and it's based on whether or not she's magical.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_"Raisin cookies that look kinda like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues."_

* * *

Petunia had a long walk down memory lane in the literal sense as she walked to the park with her sister. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. The small grocer's store run by Old Man Wither's was open and running. The entire community was still as welcoming and open in the whole small town way things were in this day and age.

Sure enough as she and Lily walked to the park, people greeted the two girls cheerfully. Petunia did get a few odd looks before she remembered how open she'd been as a child and waved back excitedly with Lily.

The two girls soon reached the park with Petunia subtly allowing Lily to lead while refreshing her memory of the area.

Petunia carefully tuned out Lily's eager chatter as they two girls swung on the swings.

What on earth could have made her go back in time? And more importantly how could she turn this to her advantage?

She already knew what kind of changes she'd do with her own life (finishing school and not marrying Vernon. She wouldn't repeat _that_ mistake again) but how could she, a moggle or whatever the magic folk called non-magics (she ruthfully suppressed the tiny voice that whispered _normal_) save her sister from a world she couldn't even access let alone be apart of?

Perhaps she could find a way to convince Lily not to go… No, that was a futile thought.

Magic had been a large part of Lily's life, she had loved it and Petunia couldn't take it away from her no matter how much she disliked the magical world for taking her sister away from her and not allowing Petunia to join.

So far the only option she had was to guide and support Lily the best she could from the sidelines. She had years of knowledge in her arsenal. She could easily finish school and achieve a high-paying job she'd wanted as a child and when Lily went into hiding she'd be able to add a nice non-magic protection as well as magical one.

And she'd teach Lily not to trust that crazy old fool Bumblebee.

The insane man had left a child alone on her doorstep in the middle of the night and from the little she could tell from her limited interaction with Harry… Well, the man shouldn't have been allowed to run a school in the first place. Magical school or not, adventures like that should only belong in story books not in the lives of 11 year old children.

"-uney! Tuney!" Turning her attention to Lily, she noted her sister's pout and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Lily. I was thinking about something."

Lily had a surprisingly serious look on her face as she stopped swinging and turned to look at her sister more firmly.

"Petunia, don't listen to the kids at school. Ok? They're wrong."

Petunia blinked in confusion. "Er, Ok?"

She recalled that she'd been bullied a bit as a child because she hadn't yet grown into her tall, willowy frame and had been all gangly limbs and tallness. It was one of the reasons she had resented Lily and the redhead's small build.

"Don't worry Lily. I don't care about it." And this was certainly true. There was no way she'd let a bunch of ten and eleven year olds bother her for something as trivial as this.

Lily smiled back hesitantly and began swinging again.

"Good, because we're _not_ freaks! Daddy said we're special so they're all wrong!"

Petunia nearly fell off in the middle of a particularly high swing. Freaks? Special? What in the world was she talking about?

What had she meant by _freaks_? This had not happened the first time around. She may have been called horse-face, giraffe, and other unseemly names as a child due to her tall, thin frame but _never _a freak.

Freak was something she'd called Lily and her magic. Freak was the word she'd used when describing Lily to friends and extended family.

The only reason she _and_ Lily would be called freaks would be…

"What do you mean freaks, Lily?" Her voice came out rather sharply but she couldn't be bothered at the moment.

Lily paused mid-swing before resuming. She looked curiously over at her blonde sister. "You know. Because of our _superpowers_."

Superpowers? Petunia vaguely recalled that before she'd received her letter, Lily had called her abilities superpowers and had fancied herself a budding superhero of sorts.

Dismissing that thought, Petunia turned her mind to the more important matter. What in the bloody hell was going on? This obviously meant that she was… magical. But how? And why did she not remember any of these events Lily spoke of? If all this had changed, what else had?

And… she'd be going to the great and magical Hogwarts that Lily had always raved about.

Petunia wasn't sure what to think of this. On one hand, ever since Lily had first described it (in a letter to their parents since Petunia had refused to speak to her) she'd wanted to go. But on the other hand, she still remembered the letter she'd written to the old fool and how the stupid Snape boy and Lily had snooped through her items and found and shared her letter. Bitterness still resided from the rejection and the humiliation she'd gone through. Not to mention it hadn't helped her already strained relationship with Lily.

"Tuney! Stop thinking so much! You're going to get wrinkles!"

Petunia rolled her eyes. "I'm a kid Lily. I'm not going to get wrinkles for-"

"Lets fly, Tuney!"

Fly?

Before she could try to remember what type of magic abilities Lily had used, to her horror Lily jumped off after a particularly high swing… and pulled Petunia along with her.

There was a horrible moment where the ground seemed to rush up to meet her then suddenly Petunia felt a warm feeling rush through her body and she was floating gently to the ground next to a laughing Lily.

_My god! _The woman-turned-child felt faint as her feet touched the ground softly. That was magic! She'd just used magic! No wonder Lily had loved it. It was an absolutely lovely feeling.

"That was brilliant, Lily!"

The red-head grinned brightly. "I know!"

As quickly as it appeared, Lily's smile turned into a frown.

"Tuney, why do you think we can do this? No one else can."

"Well, its obvious, isn't it?"

Petunia whirled around only to notice a small black-haired boy with exceptionally pale skin.

Snape.

Why hadn't she remembered this? Sure it had gone somewhat differently what with her being magic this time around but the premises and events we're very similar to when Lily and she had first met Snape.

Oddly enough, when Petunia looked at the small boy in front of her, he didn't look at her as disdainfully as he had the first time around. Instead he was looking at her excitedly and dare she say it… shy.

Obviously. because she was magic he would treat her better.

"What's obvious?" Lily asked.

"Well, you can do all that because you're…" Here he paused and lowered his voice. "You're _witches_."

While Petunia observed this whole scene bemusedly, Lily reared back as if struck.

"Excuse me! You don't need to be so rude! Me and Petunia are _not_ witches!"

Petunia could only absentmindedly add a; "Petunia and I, Lily."

Turning away dramatically, her hair flying back, Lily marched away, dragging Petunia along.

"Wait!" Petunia had never heard Snape sound this… desperate, for lack of a better word.

"It's not an insult! I'm a wizard and you guys are witches and there's a whole school for us and…"

Snape trailed off disappointedly as an angry Lily kept walking with Petunia in tow.

Petunia couldn't help but look back and she also couldn't help but feel a little bad for the boy.

Deciding to humor this second chance she discretely waved goodbye.

The delighted surprise on his facial expression was worth it.

She still didn't like him, though.

It was just maternal instincts rearing up.

* * *

Later that night, in the room she shared with Lily, Petunia belatedly realized that she had a new opportunity to protect her little sister. She'd go to the magical school and she'd excel in it.

Ignoring the little part of her that was childishly excited about the situation, the tall girl turned on her side and observed her sleeping sister on the other side of the room.

It was January 1st. In 18 days she'd turn eleven. And then November 1st would be Lily's 11th birthday.

Petunia wasn't sure if she and Lily would start at the same time or not but she certainly hoped so. It would make things easier.

* * *

_Ok, the polls are closed, I've counted the reviews that voted, and Petunia being a witch won. Thank you everyone for your input and ideas._

_Yeah, I made Petunia and Lily born in the same year but different months._

_Petunia Evans; Birthdate: September 18th, 1959._

_Lily Evans; Birthdate: August 1st, 1960._

_Petunias's almost a year older but not quite. _

_Remember reviews are lovely things that make me feel like I'm eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies but without the added calories!"_

_Thanks,_

_ShaSha_


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_"Madonna is 55 and her boyfriend is 25. Jennifer Lopez is 46 and her boyfriend is 26. Don't worry if you're not dating. They just might not be born yet."_

* * *

Weeks passed and Petunia found herself slowly getting used to this new life she had. It was really more a like a vacation. School was amazingly easy, no surprise there considering she was more than four times the age of her classmates, and she Lily got along swimmingly.

There were a few moments were she'd be too quiet or morose and she'd catch Lily watching her worriedly. The girl was simply too observant for her age.

It was June 1 today, luckily Petunia had arrived near the end of the school year. The girls had only five more days left before summer break, thankfully.

Of course in elementary school that meant that the last days were filled with end-of-the-year pizza parties and fun field days. A startling difference from middle-school, high school, and college.

Petunia tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her mother and Lily to come downstairs. Both the fifth grade and the fourth grade were having one large pizza party together and Iris Evans had volunteered to chaperone and bring supplies like any good mother should. So the three of them were heading to nearest grocery store (not Old Man Wither's) which was miles way from here.

"Mum! Lily! Come _on_!"

Iris walked down the stairs with a wild-haired Lily in tow. "Coming, dear. Lily, _do_ sit still and allow me fix your hair. You can't go out looking like this."

"But, _muuum_! Just let me put it in a pony-tail. It's much more easier."

Iris sighed. "That may be true but I'd still like you to at least comb through it."

Petunia smothered a smile. "Don't worry mum, I've got it. Go grab your purse and the keys."

Iris gave her a relieved smile "Oh, thank you Petunia, love." Handing the comb to Petunia the red-haired woman rushed into the living room. Petunia turned toward Lily who looked like she was attempting to tie her shoes into a constrictor knot.

"Give it here, Lils."

"But Tuney, you don't know how to tie any better then I-" The small red-head looked at her shoes in surprise. "Wow! How'd you do that so fast? And where'd you learn that?"

"I asked Dad to teach me after I got tired of the Whitcombe twins trying to tie my shoes together again." Which was true, in another timeline. And the Whitcombe twins did bother her in this timeline just not for the same reason.

Lily groaned. "I hate them. They're the meanest people I've ever met. In my _whole_ life."

Petunia snorted. "It's a good thing you haven't been alive a long time then, hm?"

"Hmph, your barely a year older than me!"

"And?"

Petunia handed her the brush and gestured for her to comb through the tangled mess of red.

"And you're acting like mum" Lily exclaimed as she pulled the comb through her hair.

Petunia frowned as she finished tying her own shoes. Was it really that obvious? She supposed she was acting slightly motherly towards Lily but…. well, she was an _adult_. What other way would she act?

She'd just have to be more childish then. She needed to let go of her old life and embrace this new one fully.

She stood up abruptly. "Come on, Lily! Lets hurry so we can convince mum to get us Mars Bars!"

The two girls ran, hand-in-hand towards the car with their amused mother right behind me.

* * *

_Kind of a short chapter. Sorry! I promise a longer one next time._

_Review!_

_Thanks, _

_ShaSha_


End file.
